We had a terrific time putting the event together and we’re so glad you all came out for the HP Premiere here at the Museum! If you haven’t seen the movie yet it’s still showing here at the HMNS Wortham IMAX Theatre – get your tickets here!

The crowds of Harry Potter fans began to arrive around 9pm and line up to pick up their tickets at the Museum box office. Some visitors arrived extra early for the 2:45am showing in order to enjoy our Midnight Madness festivities.

We also had some special guests to help us kick off the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows run at the Museum’s IMAX Theatre…

Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education joined us for the event and brought along two of their education ambassadors who happened to be owls. While the Harry Potter series features owls as “magical pets” and even as postal carriers it was a great opportunity for Hogwarts fans to see owls up close and personal and learn from the Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education representatives that not only are owls illegal to keep as pets but undesirable pets as well.

WR&E is doing incredible work assisting and rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife in our area and along the Gulf Coast. Visit their website at http://wrande.org/ to find out how you can help their effort to provide a safe environment for wildlife in need of help and also some helpful tips on how to respect the habitats of urban wildlife and prevent unwanted houseguests.

One of the Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education animal ambassadors (screech owl) sat nicely on his perch and observed the visitors in line to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in IMAX!

Smilebooth was here to capture some silly moments of costume characters and other muggles who showed up for the Midnight Madness event! To check out the photos of the midnight madness and the other cool events Smilebooth has attended go to www.smilebooth.com and email hello@smilebooth.com if you’re interested in having a smilebooth come to your next event! (I have to tell you, it’s pretty much the coolest thing ever and in fact my family’s holiday card last year was a smilebooth photo!)

We had some tasty treats provided by POParazzi’s Gourmet Popcorn that our visitors enjoyed as they anxiously awaited their opportunity to enter the IMAX for the movie! Who knew popcorn could be made in so many different flavors — with flavors like ‘snickers’ and ‘dill pickle’ and ‘taco’ I think have just about everyone’s tastes covered!

We saw a lot of great costumes in the crowd – several Harry and Luna costumes, a Professor McGonagall and even one costume of a portrait at the top of a moving staircase! One of our costume contest winners was actually a group costume who came as the Weasley Family! What do you think of the likeness?

About Allison

After volunteering at HMNS since 1993, Allison joined HMNS full time in 2003. Her current job responsibilities include curating the education collections and keeping the summer camp classrooms stocked with materials, facilitating Education special events, and coordinating the Museum's overnight program. In her "spare time" she volunteers with the Junior League of Houston and spends her time in artistic pursuits.